The changing workplace

It is often said that the days of life-long employment and corporate career ladders are gone. Many people feel their jobs are less secure than in the past.

But is that right? The international research reviewed by the Future of Work project doesn’t always support these concerns:

• Some groups of workers have suffered a drop in job tenure, but long-term employment relationships appear to be more resilient than you’d expect.
  
  
• Non-standard employment (part-time, temporary, casual and self-employed work) is on the rise, and that trend is likely to continue.
  
  
• People’s need for flexibility is one of the key drivers of part-time and self-employed work.
  
  
• However, some temporary and casual workers are more likely to suffer job insecurity, low pay and poor working conditions.

You can read more about the changing workplace in our stocktake or by looking at the articles elsewhere on this page.

Is work becoming more precarious?

The number of non-standard jobs - work that is not permanent and full-time is increasing in New Zealand and overseas.

Are these jobs also precarious, with poor conditions and prospects? Is any job always better than no job?

What’s “normal” about a 40-hour week?

The 40-hour working week isn’t as popular as it used to be, judging by New Zealanders’ current working patterns.

More people are working over 40 hours, and more people are also working less than the “standard” week, analysis by the Department of Labour shows.

What are we doing?

The Department of Labour is undertaking a number of initiaives to further issues in the workplace:

• Partnership Resource Centre
• Pay and Employment Equity Unit
• Workplace Productivity
• Worklife Balance
• Pure Business